


Owl Hunting

by Sarolonde



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Canon Continuation, Humor, M/M, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 07:55:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5908924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarolonde/pseuds/Sarolonde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Apparently the universe can sometimes be unusually cruel and throw a bone but in a hidden place where Tetsurou can’t find it and can't look for it because he doesn’t know it’s been thrown in the first place. In this analogy Tsukki is a bone… Which is oh so poetic. Not that he only wants to bone Tsukki. He also wants to cuddle in bed with him all day and fall in deep endless love with him. That’s not too much to ask for, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Owl Hunting

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very basic KuroTsuki canonverse uni fic but I was really only testing a different writing style and then it got really fun and cute. So eh. It’s OOC because I’m not sure Kuroo would have such an erratic thought process, he’s far too chill for that. He's a cool cat *wink* (not really, he's a big effing dork).

So, unfortunately, Bokuto is going to die. Yes, everyone is very torn up about it but Tetsurou simply must go owl hunting. Is that even legal? It doesn’t sound like something that would be legal. Owls are probably protected or some shit. Okay, but Bokuto is just a person who looks like an owl, so it wouldn’t really be killing an owl. Although killing people is probably worse. Oops, nope, _definitely_ worse. But Tetsurou is in his third year of his law degree so he can probably figure out a way to do it without getting caught… Right?

Either way the freaking owl is going down.

Why? Well, Bokuto abandoned him at a party.

 _Abandoned_.

They came to the party because Tetsurou is in mourning - his pet fish died due to a rather disastrous, borderline comical, vacuuming incident, but that’s a whole other story - and he wanted to get drunk and just forget the world exists. With his bro, by his side, supporting him.

So, when said ‘bro’ got a phone call from Akaashi I’m-too-beautiful-to-be-real-and-I-give-zero-fucks Keiji, the bro’s boyfriend, Tetsurou was a little ticked off. _Then_ , after Bokuto yelled something about his boyfriend coming home early and ran out shrieking and squawking - because apparently his love of owls isn’t displayed enough in his ridiculous hair, eyebrows and endearingly creepy eyes - Tetsurou was completely pissed off. Do owls even shriek or squawk…? They’re also supposed to be wise but Bokuto’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed and—

Not the point.

Tetsurou has been _abandoned_. In his time of need. Sure he only had the fish for like two weeks but that doesn’t mean he didn’t already grow attached to it. He didn’t, but that’s also beside the point. He’s in _mourning_ and his bro _abandoned_ him. Like the slightly less attractive chick at the prom. Okay, so, Tetsurou’s much less attractive than Akaashi, almost everyone is, but he refuses to admit that out loud.

Seriously, what happened to the bro-code?

His first bro, the little bro, Kenma, barely even lifted his head from his game to acknowledge Tetsurou’s - likely overly dramatic - wails when he discovered the small squishy dead fish. At least Bokuto consoled him. They probably looked like idiots, Bokuto holding him in his ridiculously muscly arms and rocking him back and forth like in a dramatic death scene. But Bokuto was there for him then, why can’t he be there for him now?

_Dumbass owl._

The worst part is that as soon as he sees his stupid - adorable - owl face he’s going to forgive the fucker. Because how the hell can anyone stay mad at him? It’s like abusing an innocent puppy. Not that he needs to qualify the puppy as innocent. They all are.

So. The party. Tetsurou’s barely even tipsy and there is a redheaded guy - with hair spikey like Bokuto’s that’s only reminding him how annoyed he is - leering at him across the room. The guy is tall and A-grade creepy with a heavy lidded gaze and a weird smirking grin that isn’t in the least bit flirtatious. This is from Tetsurou, king of all things weird and smirk-y. But Tetsurou does it on purpose, to elicit a response; the redhead guy looks like the wind changed and his face got stuck that way.

With how stupendously fast his day has gone downhill Tetsurou really shouldn’t be surprised when leering redhead guy starts slithering over to him. Tetsurou glanced at him once with an expression so unimpressed that he swears the people around him flinched away - though that may or may not have been a figment of his regrettably sober imagination. However under-powered his unimpressed look was it _certainly_ wasn’t incentive to approach. It was the opposite.

Nonetheless…

“Hey,” the redhead guy _attempts_ to purr but it just sounds sleazy, with way too much ‘ey’ sound. “You come here often?”

 _Really? Really dude? That’s what you’re going with? Jesus fucking Christ._ Tetsurou barely restrains from dropping his face so hard into his palm that it would probably make a loud smacking noise straight from the sound department of a highly exaggerated cartoon.

Instead, he chuckles stiffly. “Uh, not really, I actually don’t have much idea where we are. It’s just a random party nearby I found on a flyer.”

“Oh? So you live near here?” The guy winks. _Fucking winks._ As if the half grimace on Tetsurou’s face is indication that this flirtation isn’t the most uncomfortable thing he has ever experienced. It is.

Also _shit_. Why is Tetsurou’s first instinct always to be polite with strangers? Why can’t he just be the jackass people tend to believe he is?

“Not far. I guess. I, um… I’m going to go get a drink. I’ll see you la--”

“I’ll get it for you.”

The guy’s broad rough hand is on his elbow, thick fingers curling into his skin where the sleeves of his hoodie are rolled up. His skin is hot and clammy and Tetsurou’s certain that he can see a big NOPE sign flashing across his vision. That one is _definitely_ his imagination.

“No that’s--”

“Tendou.”

A smooth, amazingly calm voice interrupts him and Tetsurou swears he can hear angels singing. Because he knows that voice. He may or may not adore that voice. He hasn’t heard it in almost a whole year but _fuck_ is it good to hear. He’s not only grateful for its timely interruption but more than a little giddy at the familiar and pleasant tone of it.

Like a knight is shining armour, gleaming under the magnificent silver light of the full moon, Tsukki approaches. He stands so close to Tetsurou that it’s probably lucky he’s so dumbfounded by the whole situation or he’d be short circuiting by now.

The blond’s sharp liquid gold eyes are focussed on the redhead guy – Tendou, apparently – but Tetsurou is staring at him, probably like a love-struck idiot but no one is paying attention to him so it’s fine. Tsukki has grown, more; he’s standing a full inch taller than Tetsurou now. His golden blond hair is longer too, curling softly around his black rimmed glasses and begging to have fingers run through it to prove just how silky it is. Tsukki’s jaw is stronger, fitting into his long elegant neck, but there is still softness in his nose and cheeks that Tetsurou desperately wants to touch. Or kiss. All in all the kid is more attractive than he was - and he was _really_ fucking attractive before - and Tetsurou really doesn’t think that’s fair.

Enter, one of few people as unbelievably attractive as Akaashi how-is-it-possible-to-be-so-modest-when-you’re-that-beautiful Keiji.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my arch nemesis,” Tendou singsongs, his hand falling from Tetsurou’s arm and creepy eyes narrowing on Tsukki. The resentment in his eyes makes Tetsurou want to ask: how are you not attracted to this beautiful blond boy? But he doesn’t want Tendou to be attracted to him. It’s bad enough that he seems to be attracted to Tetsurou.

Tsukki cocks an eyebrow, his mouth set in a disgusted line. “In what universe am I your nemesis?”

“You beat me and I will have my revenge!”

“That was three years ago and _I_ didn’t beat _you_ ,” Tsukki clarifies with what seems like the patience of a saint but Tetsurou hears the condescension.

“That’s right you didn’t,” Tendou huffs and this his creepy eyes move back to Tetsurou who’s watching the whole exchange in with a complete and utter lack of understanding. “Anyway, Tsukishima, scurry along now, you’re interrupting my flirting session with this hottie.”

Tetsurou frowns but his gaze is caught by what he thinks is an annoyed twitch in Tsukki’s jaw, but that may have been his overly hopeful imagination. A mocking smile curls Tsukki’s perfect mouth.

“ _That_ was flirting?”

Okay, he’s gotten a lot better at this antagonism thing. It’s kind of scary but also makes Tetsurou immensely proud. And a little turned on. Tendou actually flinches, his face scrunching into an even more unattractive scowl. Tsukki speaks again before he has a chance to complain.

“First of all, that is the most pathetic attempt at flirting I have ever seen, I had to interrupt and put both parties out of their misery because it was _embarrassing_. Second…”

Tsukki shifts the drink in his hands and before Tetsurou knows what the fuck is even happening a long arm is slung possessively around his shoulders. Tetsurou is _not_ blushing, he is _not_ frozen in surprise and he certainly is _not_ melting under the intimacy of the action and their closeness because Tetsurou is a grown ass man, God damn it! Though, if he were experiencing such things the likely reason would be the three year crush he’s had on Tsukki and the constant aching desire to be embraced by him every time they sporadically see each other. And maybe kiss him senseless. And maybe caress every inch of milky white skin. And maybe turn him into a moaning, sweaty mess of—

_Definitely not the time._

Tendou narrows his eyes, reptilian gaze flicking between them sceptically. “No, I don’t believe you’re together. The hot guy looks uncomfortable. You’re just pretending to be with him to protect him.”

It’s probably true, Tetsurou probably looks unsettled at the moment but that’s mostly because he’s working very hard to contain the buzzing excitement that’s making him want to jump up and down with happiness for about ten minutes straight. His skin under the weight of Tsukki’s arm draped over his shoulders is tingling and hot in the best possible way. And if Tetsurou turns his head his face would be less than an inch from Tsukki’s and he could— but no, that really _would_ melt him.

“The sheer fact that you recognise _Tetsu_ needs protecting should indicate just how poorly you’re lame attempt at flirting is going. Also...”

Without warning Tsukki presses his lips against Tetsurou’s stubble covered jaw, his adorable nose squishing against his cheek. Tsukki doesn’t move back like Tetsurou expects - however, at present all data pertaining to expectations of Tsukishima Kei has flown out the damn window - instead he moves his mouth until it’s hovering near Tetsurou’s ear, his nose tickling the shell of his ear and sending a shiver down his spine.

“Smile and pretend I’m saying something flirty,” Tsukki whispers to him and _fuck_ , pretending really isn’t necessary. “And for fuck sake  _relax_.”

Tsukki presses another quick kiss against Tetsurou’s cheek before moving back but still standing very much in Tetsurou’s personal space, holding him. Regaining some sense of composure Tetsurou manages a lazy grin and wraps an arm around Tsukki's waist, hand resting comfortably on his hip and pulling their sides flush against each other. The blond doesn’t resist at all, he’s relaxed and comfortable against Tetsurou. Which is really the complete opposite of how he used to be. Not that they ever held each other like this, but Tsukki was pretty much known for his stubborn resistance to everything and anything.

“I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t flirt with my boyfriend and go find someone in your own league. A brick wall perhaps,” Tsukki suggests, his smirk bright and playful.

Seriously, since when did he turn into some confident expert in provocation and manipulation? It’s incredibly sexy and, again, totally unfair.

Tendou snorts, shaking his head. “You win this time Tsukishima…”

With that he leaves and Tetsurou stares after him with a confused frown creasing his brow. Movement against him turns his attention back to Tsukki who, surprisingly, isn’t forcefully prying himself from Tetsurou’s grip. Instead there is a small smile curling his mouth, much softer and more pleasant than the mocking smile he’d given Tendou.

“He’s gone, I think you’re safe,” Tsukki says, indicating to Tetsurou’s arm still wrapped around him as the arm around Tetsurou’s shoulders falls.

“Oh, um, yeah,” he says, letting go. “Shit dude, thank you so much! I thought I was going to end up as the victim in one of those date-rape cautionary tales. You’re my hero, Tsukki!”

The blond scoffs dismissively. “You’re being dramatic, Kuroo-san. You would have been fine.”

“I—What are you doing here? Are you going to university in Tokyo?”

“For two weeks now. I would have thought Akaashi-san would have told you.”

Tetsurou frowns, his head tilting in confusion. “You told Akaashi and not _me_? You talk to Akaashi?”

“Fairly often. Akaashi-san helped us - Yamaguchi and I - find our apartment when we moved here. There was one available in his complex, in the level below, when we were searching. Which made it a lot easier.”

Even as Tsukki stops talking Tetsurou remains uncharacteristically quiet, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide because so much of that information just blew his freaking mind. Maybe he actually has short-circuited. Tetsurou lives with Bokuto and Akaashi, which means that Tsukki lives in the same building as him and somehow he hasn’t noticed. Tsukki lives with Yamaguchi, his best friend, and he said ‘we’ and ‘us’ and ‘our’ and it made Tetsurou more uncomfortable than he’s willing to admit.

Akaashi has a lot to answer for. First with the Bokuto _abandoning_ him thing and then with the fact that he failed to mention that Tetsurou’s eternal fucking crush moved into their fucking building. He’s probably even madder at Akaashi than he is at Bokuto right now. Which says a lot. But Tetsurou probably won’t be able to stay mad at them because he’s just projecting being mad at himself for not contacting Tsukki, who he thought was eternally out of reach.

Apparently the universe can sometimes be unusually cruel and throw a bone, but in a hidden place where Tetsurou can’t find it and can't look for it because he doesn’t know it’s been thrown in the first place. In this analogy Tsukki is a bone… Which is oh so poetic. Not that he only wants to bone Tsukki. He also wants to cuddle in bed with him all day and fall in deep endless love with him. That’s not too much to ask for, right?

“I don’t… I think I need to sit down,” Tetsurou says, the world feels like it’s spinning out of control.

Tsukki seems marginally amused by this. Instead of mocking him though Tsukki grabs his wrist – long cool fingers gentle against his heated skin – and drags him through the party-noisy house. He pushes them past people making out and laughing drunkenly without much care until they’re out in the houses backyard. There aren’t many people here because it’s cold out, but Tsukki doesn’t seem to care. He plonks down on the grass, sipping at his cup.

Sitting slowly in front of him Tetsurou assesses the blond’s sobriety and suddenly the more confidence thing makes sense. Tsukki isn’t drunk by a long shot, he’s coherent and aware, he just seems a little less inhibited.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Tetsurou questions as Tsukki finishes the last of his drink.

Since the training camp three years ago they've become close friends, staying in contact via messages and Skype, and have met up a few times in between. Mostly with a group of friends, but once or twice just the two of them. Tetsurou diligently ignored his feelings, because the distance between them was borderline unbearable in friendship and he certainly didn’t want to discover the pain of… Well, anything more than friendship.

In the last year they haven’t spoken as much. They were both relatively busy and… That’s just what happens right? People drift. It kind of hurt to think about when it was happening, but Tetsurou ignored that too. He’s good at ignoring things.

“We don’t exactly talk much anymore,” Tsukki shrugs, gazing down at the plastic cup he’s running his long fingers around the rim of and mirroring Tetsurou’s thoughts, the way he always does. “It’s not a big deal. I thought Akaashi had told you and you were just, you know, busy.”

That’s it, another owl is being added to the hunting list. Stupid owls.

“I didn’t know otherwise I would’ve… I would’ve baked you a welcome to the neighbourhood pie or something. Not that I can bake. Likely wouldn’t be edible, but it’s the thought that counts, right? No wait, I can cook. Food. Dinner. I could have made you welcome to Tokyo dinner. You and Freckles. We could have all had dinner together and it would have been all welcoming and shit.”

Tsukki is watching him with fascination with a small smile and eyebrows raised.

“Since when do you ramble?”

“Since when do you valiantly protect my honour? Of which I have none by the way. So have fun wasting your time. Not that what you did wasn’t appreciated. It was. Greatly.”

Tetsurou winces because _holy shit why the fuck is this happening?_ He’s very aware that his mind is… _Busy._ Filled with nonsense and over contemplation but it generally never comes out of his mouth. His brain to mouth filter is generally on point. It’s nervousness, Tsukki makes him nervous; more now because, well, fucking _look_ at him.

“Do you get hit on like that a lot?” Tsukki asks instead of drawing attention to his idiocy, which is strange because he likes to stir people as much as Tetsurou does. So he’s… making kind allowances for Tetsurou?

“Uh, sometimes. Never that… Weirdly though. How do you know that guy?”

“Tendou played for Shiratorizawa when we, Karasuno, beat them my first year,” Tsukki explains, staring down at his right hand as he curls the fingers experimentally, likely remembering the injury. “He was their middle blocker.”

Pride swells in Tetsurou’s chest at the mention of the game he watched avidly on television, excited for Karasuno but mostly thrilled for Tsukki who shone brilliantly throughout the game. As a middle blocker, team captain and game strategist himself, Tetsurou had watched in awe, mesmerised by the things the beautiful blond was doing. Things that many other people probably hadn’t noticed.

“He’s… weird,” Tetsurou manages to get his filter in check. He glances up at the house as Tsukki nods in agreement. “This party sucks, by the way.”

“You’re not wrong.”

“Fucking Bokuto…” he murmurs under his breath. “Do you want to come owl hunting with me?”

Tsukki smirks. “What did he do this time?”

Tetsurou flings his arms out, gesturing vaguely. “Abandoned me to go have crazy owl sex with his far too attractive boyfriend. Obviously.”

“Obviously,” he repeats, nodding along and not hiding his amusement like he used to. “Unfortunately I think owls are a protected species and you can’t hunt them. Even if you are a cat. What you should do is replace his hair gel with honey. I’m assuming he has buckets of the stuff.”

“That… Is… _Perfect_!” Tetsurou enthuses, chuckling. “The idiot won’t even notice until his stupid white feathers are covered in it. I can hear him whining to Akaashi already. Tsukki, you’re an evil genius. It’s scary.”

Tsukki shrugs. “I learnt from the best.”

With characteristic dramatic flair Tetsurou presses his palm against his chest, over his heart, and gasps. “I… I’m flattered, moved, touched, and so very proud of my precious kouhai--”

“Technically not your kouhai.”

“--my unofficial kouhai. My apprentice. My padawan.”

The blond is still smiling and Tetsurou is certain that he hasn’t seen him smile for such an extended period of time before. Not a forced smile or a smirk but a genuine, content, smile. Which, while saddening that it wasn’t a common occurrence, probably was better for his heart because, holy shit, it's a beautiful sight.

Breathtaking. Mind-blowing. Brain-destroying.

To the point that he’s actually glad that his attention gets drawn to a bald idiot running naked into the backyard because at least it jump starts his brain… Which is a weird thing to think when a dick and balls bounces straight past your head.

“Was that…?” Tetsurou gazes after the bare assed guy yelling and jumping the fence. “Your Baldy?”

Tsukki groans and his words are muffled by his hands. “Do _not_ call him _mine_. But yes, that was Tanaka-san and if you’ll excuse me I need to go home and vomit up everything and bleach my eyes.”

“I’ll, uh, come with you,” he says, rising to his feet and dusting grass off his jeans when he notices Tsukki quirking an eyebrow at him. “Oh, not to—not home _with_ you. We live in the same building and this party is shitty, especially since I was abandoned. Although, the crazy owl sex is at home… Good thing I have sound cancelling headphones. Bokuto gets ridiculously loud. It’s kind of disturbing.”

“You can come over to my place.”

If Tetsurou were drinking anything right now he would have just sprayed it all over, well, Tsukki. So he’s glad he’s not. Drinking anything. That would have been awkward. This, the wide-eyed gaping, is only marginally less awkward though.

“Wh-What?”

Tsukki shrugs attempting to seem indifferent but Tetsurou can see the nervous tremor in his hand as he adjusts his glasses. “You can come over, refuge from the crazy owl sex. Though sometimes I can hear them too. I think my bedroom is right under theirs. Or he really is _that_ loud because the walls are quite thick.”

“What about Freckles...?” Tetsurou can hear his voice grow softer as he braces for the answer.

“He’s out for the night,” the blond says and then turns to meet his gaze. “With his boyfriend.”

The rollercoaster ride of his day that has been on an unchanging downward trajectory since seven in the morning suddenly just tilted upwards. Tetsurou feels like he left his stomach somewhere down the bottom because his insides are all tense. And _again_ with the gaping at the attractive blond boy. Thank fuck he doesn’t seem to care.

“Are you coming, Tetsu?”

Even with his ridiculously Tsukki-addled brain, Tetsurou can hear the intent behind the question and the fondness with which that smooth, calm voice speaks his name.

Tetsurou grins, feeling more relaxed in Tsukki’s presence, and takes his hand, long slender fingers lacing through his own. “Let’s go.”


End file.
